Explosion hatch



June 15, 1954 s. KORNHAUSER ETAL 2,681,165

' EXPLOSION HATCH Filed Sept. 8, 1950 INVENTORS. SAU N DERS KORN HAUS ER ANJY H EN RY AJATZ EK. m;/W

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STAT TENT OFFICE EXPLOSION HATCH poration of Ohio Application September 8, 1950, Serial No. 183,816

2 Claims.

In containers, tanks, etc. where there may be explosive vapors, it is in many cases desirable to be able to mitigate effects of explosion should such occur, but such result should not be attained at a cost of being unable to ordinarily seal the container or tank, gas-tight, against pressure. An illustration is such apparatus as asphalt oxidizers. In these, air is blown into a mass of molten asphalt at elevated temperature, and the fumes given off are explosive. Despite use of steam blanketing in the vapor space at the top of such apparatus, explosions occasionally occur. By the present invention it now becomes possible to equip hazardous apparatus with means for obviating damage thereto in event of explosion, while ordinarily the container is sealed against undesired fume-leakage, the fumes being transmitted through proper equipment for their treatment in accordance with conditions in any given case. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a sectional view of an explosion hatch in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

By way of illustration, the invention may be described as applied to an asphalt oxidizer. Thus, as indicated in Fig. l, the oxidizer 2, typically a large cylindrical tank on vertical axis, with air blowing pipes in the lower portion, also fire tube or heating means, is provided at its top with an explosion hatch, which in effect is a normally sealing but removable cover. And, such cover 3 has a pair of arms 4 extending upwardly and laterally, and these carry a hinge shaft 5, secured to the arms, or having nuts Ed on each end to prevent disengagement, according as preferred. The hinge shaft on the arms 4, extends through vertical travel-slots 6 in spaced upstanding support brackets i secured to suitable stationary anchorage below the cover. A counterweight arm 8 extends upwardly and laterally from the cover, and carries an adjustable counterweight 9 which may be set in adjusted position by a suitable means, for instance set screws Ill. The arrangement of the arm 8 and counterweight 9 relative to the fulcrum line of the hinge shaft 5 is such that the weight of the ordinarily heavy cover 3 may be countered to such extent as desired to allow the cover to blow ofi" at some predetermined pressure. It will be noticed that instead of a simple pivot-hinge action, the mounting of the cover by the shaft 5 and the travel-slots 6 allows a vertical movement of the cover, and a swinging movement also. It is found that this peculiar construction results in an opening of the hatch under explosive violence, without damage to its mounting as is prone to be the case with a simple pivot hinge type of mount. The force of that explosive outburst is dissipated partly in vertical movement of the cover instead of wholly angular swing-movement.

Notwithstanding the absence of any frangible clamping means, a gas-tight sealing of the cover is attainable by the present invention. On the undersurface of the cover 3 there is secured a metal ring i 2. This coacts with and seats between concentric metal rings it, l5 secured on the flange edge of the head It. Between the rings it and i5 is a yieldable packing H, as of asbestos for instance. With the cover seated down then, its ring 52 seals against the packing in a troughlike groove between rings i i, l5. Such trough allows the ring to shift somewhat, as in expansion and contraction, without breaking the seal, and its depth also is such that the packing material does not easily blow out. Also, it does not coke up readily, and thus maintainance trouble and cost and also possibility of not opening properly, are lessened.

The manner of operation of the construction is understood from the foregoing. In case of generation of an explosive blast within the container 2, the hatch cover 3 is thrown upwardly the length of the travel-slot E, and then swings around. on the hinge fulcrum 5, releasing the blast progressively and completely. The cover then settles back into its position sealing with the packing.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the fea tures stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. In a pressure container, an opening in a horizontal plane in the roof of the container presenting spaced-apart concentric rings substantially circular in crosssection, packing therebetween and forming therewith a troughlike seating surface, a safety blow-off hatch embodying a lid having a ring substantially circular in cross-section in sealing contact with said trough-like seating surface, lid-mounting means extending above the lid and providing a fulcruming point above the plane of the lid, including spaced-apart guide-brackets for said lid having parallel travel-slots which are oriented at a right angle to the horizontal plane of the lid, arms extending from the top of said lid and carrying a hinge-shaft which rides in said slots, a counterweight arm extending out from the top of said lid beyond and above said hinge-shaft, and means for selecting a predetermined blow-out pressure effective on the lid, including an adjustable counterweight on said arm.

2. In a pressure container, an opening in a horizontal plane in the roof of the container presenting spaced-apart concentric rings substantially circular therebetween and forming therewith a troughlike seating surface, a safety blow-oil hatch embodying a lid, gas-tight sealing means which permits lateral shifting of the lid without releasing gas, including a lid-ring substantially circuin cross-section, packing lar in cross-section in lateral shifting sealing contact with said trough-like seating surface, and mounting means for said lid extending laterally above it and providing a fulcruming point above the plane of the lid and guiding bodily-opening movement of the lid vertically and then swinging laterally.

References Cited in the file of this patent, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,389,495 Erwin et a1 Aug. 30, 1921 1,628,028 Calhoun May 10, 1927 1,793,946 McEwan Feb. 24, 1931 1,811,294 Bauroth June 23, 1931 1,975,412 Taylor Oct. 2, 1934 1,994,770 King Mar. 19, 1935 2,421,838 Harmon et a1. June 10, 1947 2,519,809 Zarkin et al Aug. 22, 1950 2,555,280 Trumbull l May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 331,315 Italy Oct. 31, 1935 

